him, and fancied before long I should have to put my hand upon his
shoulder; but I didn't expect this."

"There is not a shadow of proof that he had anything to do with
the robbery, Dawney, but he will have difficulty in proving that
he did not afterwards abet them. It is serious enough as it is,
and I am terribly grieved for his father's sake."

"Yes, sir; I have always heard him spoken of as a kind gentleman,
and one who took a lot of trouble whenever anyone was sick. Well,
sir, I will be off in twenty minutes. I will run round at once
and send Dr. Hewett up to the Rectory, and a man shall start on
horseback at seven o'clock with the summons to the other magistrates."

John Thorndyke rode round to his three fellow magistrates, who,
living nearest to the town, were most regular in their attendance
at the meetings. They all listened in surprise to his narrative,
and expressed great pleasure at hearing that the men who had been
such a pest to the neighborhood, and had caused them all personally
a great deal of trouble, had been captured. All had heard tales, too,
to Arthur Bastow's disadvantage, and expressed great commiseration
for his father. They agreed to meet at the court half an hour before
business began, to talk the matter over together.

"It is out of the question that we can release him on bail," the
gentleman who was chairman of the bench said. "Quite so," John
Thorndyke agreed. "In the first place, the matter is too serious;
and in the next, he certainly would not be able to find bail; and
lastly, for his father's sake, it is unadvisable that he should be
let out. At the same time, it appears to me that there is a broad